Get your war on

Get your war on:

11:10:08 PM  comment []    

Ella T-Ball adventure

Ella had her turn at the ballgame this afternoon.  They had their team pictures, then a quick break and back to play their first mini-game. 

Quite a contrast.  My heart was in my throat through most of Milo's minor-league (kid-pitch) game.  T-Ball, on the other hand, is a bunch of five and six year olds.  It's a victory if they run when they hit the ball.  A bigger victory if they run to first base.  Plus, everyone plays every inning.  In addition to a full compliment of infielders, there are usually six or more outfielders in every game.

Ella played first in the second inning and gobbled up two grounders that came her way.  Then she raced the batters to the bag and won each time.  Two outs.  That's my girl! 

She also made two good hits, taking the coaches advice and knocking them up the middle, rather than down the first base line. 

Milo got a lot more agressive on the bases after being tagged out, running from first to second, on a ball his teammate hit straight to the second baseman. 

His eyes were full of tears after that, I smiled, nodded, and uttered the sage words: "That can't happen to you if you hit a double." 

I'm not one of THOSE kind of parents.  Really!

5:35:18 PM  comment []    

Milo's first minor league game

Milo had his baseball jamboree this morning.  His team, the Royals, got their pictures taken, then played a 1 hr. game against the Padres.  This is Milo's first year of kid-pitch baseball.  The first year of strikes and balls.  The first year of strikeouts and walks (and hit by pitches). 

Runners on first and second.  Milo stalks slowly, hesitantly up to the plate for his first at-bat in the minors.  His coach said take all pitches until the first strike.  He takes the first pitch.  Strike one. 

"OK, good job.  Now you can swing," calls his coach.

The next pitch comes in high.  "Ball one."

Milo takes a cut at the next offering and fouls it straight back.  I tense up.  Two strikes.  "Good swing," I yell.  "You're right on the pitch."

Milo takes a smooth cut at the next pitch and pounds a grounder up the middle.  The shortstop gets a glove on it, but it trickles past him.  Milo races to first.  A single!

Three pitches later, his teammate grounds the ball up the middle.  Milo motors to second, then doesn't hesitate.  My eyes get big as he takes the turn and I watch the throw barely beat him to the third base bag. 

Milo makes an inexpert, too late slide into third.  The third baseman is a friend and classmate.  He drops the ball.  "Safe," calls the ump.

Phew!

Milo watches carefully as the next batter takes, takes, swings, and lines a single into left.  Milo trots in from third.  He's a happy fellow!

Two more outs and the sides switch.  Milo plays centerfield this inning.  Nothing comes his way for the first two batters, but the third batter sends a fly ball his way.  It's a bloop.  He hesitates momentarily, then lets it drop 10 feet in front of him.  He snags it and throws it in to the cutoff man. 

After the inning, his coach said: "Good job out there Milo.  A lot of kids would have let that ball get past them and given the batter a double.  You held him to a single."

5:10:11 PM  comment []